Pneumatically-actuated musical instrument.



P. WIGGEN.

PNEUMATIGALLY ACTUATBD MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 20, 1912.

1,1 10,364. Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO'LITHU" WASHING I'ON. D. C.

P. WIGGEN.

PNEUMATIGALLY AGTUAIED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED Nov. 20, 1912.

1,1 10,364, Patented Sept. 15, 1914 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS 00.. PHOTOLITHOH wAsHlN -z- N. D

UNITED STATES PATENT onnion.

PETER WIGGEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO OSCAR NELSON, OF CHICAGO,

- ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATICALLY-ACTUATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

7 and useful Improvements in Pneumatically- Actuated Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pneumatic music playing instruments, its more salient objects being to provide a vibratoractuating mechanism which will be simple in structure and positive in operation; to provide means for automatically dampening the vibrations of the instrument so as to prevent a continued humming of the same after the time during which the vibrator is in operation; also one in which the operating mechanism can easily be attached to, or removed from, the standard type of instrument used in connection with my invention. More particularly, however, my invention is adapted for use with snare drums, and is shown in this embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the device with parts broken away; Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical drum opposite to that shown in Fig.1.

As shown in the drawings, the drum 1 is preferably of standard construction, having a rim 2, tension bolts 3, and drum heads'4 I and 5. The usual snares 6 are stretched adjacent to the drum head 4, and are normally kept from vibration by a damper 7. The other drum head 5, has glued to it a striker plate or pallet 8, preferably of wood, against which the hammer 9, of the instruments impinges. This striker plate serves to distribute the strain so as to prevent the hammer from wearing a hole through the drum head by continually striking against one part of the same. The hammer or vibrator 9, is fastened securely to the head 10, of a pneumatic 11, which pneumatic is preferably secured to one end of a valve block 12, screwed to the rim of the drum. This pneumatic 11, is normally kept distended by a spring 13, air being admitted to the interior of the pneumatic by a passage 14, from a valve chamber 15, having a vent 16, communicating with the outside air. The valve chamber 15, also has a port 17, leading to a chest 18, from which another passage 19,

leads to a controlling valve chamber 20. This chamber 20, also has a vent 21, leading to the outside air and a port 22, leading to a controlling chest 23'. The port 22, is normally closed by a valve 24, mounted upon a stem 25, which is adapted to be raised by the upward movement of a diaphragm 26, to which the lower end of the stem 25, is securely fastened, in any suitable manner. Likewise, the port 17 is normally closed by a valve 27, mounted upon a stem 28, which may be raised by an upward movement of a diaphragm 29, mounted upon a chamber 30. A port 31, leads from the chest 18, to the outer air, there being a passage 32, leading from this port to the chamber 30. In the passage 32, is a throttling nozzle 33, which checks the rate of flow of air from the port 31, into the chamber 30. The head 10, of the pneumatic 11, carries a cross bar 34, one end of which is perforated to permit of its sliding upon a pin 35, having at its outer end a leather nut 36, and at its inner end a secondary valve 37. This pin 35, also passes through the head of a lever 38, pivoted upon a screw 39, at one side of the pneumatic 11, and carries a valve 40, for closing the outer end of the port 31. lever 38, in the position shown in Fig. 3, whereby the port is closed at its inner end, but open to the atmosphere.

The controlling valve diaphragm 26, is mounted upon a chamber 42, from which a pipe 43, leads to a pneumatic playing device (not shown) but which may be of any of the several types designed for operating musical instruments by admitting air to a passage for a period of time corresponding to the time during which the desired note is to be sounded. For instance, the pipe 43, may lead to what is commonly termed a tracker bar over which a perforated paper is drawn, thereby admitting air to this pipe whenever the openings in the paper register with those in the tracker bar. A passage 44, considerably smaller in cross section than the pipe 43, leads from the chamber 42, to the control chest 23, from which chest 23, an exhaust port 45, considerably larger in cross section than the pipe 43, leads to a motor pneumatic, or vacuum pump (not shown). A pipe 47 leads from A spring 41, normally holds the the control-valve chamber 20, to the interior of the damper-bellows or pneumatic 46, to which the damper 7, is fixed.

In operation: a continuous air suction is maintained through the exhaust port 45, by the motor pneumatic or vacuum pump, so as to create a vacuum to the control-chest 23, thereby causing the air entering through the vent 21, to force the valve 24, downward, so.

as to close the port 22. The vacuum pump also creates a suction through the passage 44 and pipe 43, thereby creating a vacuum on both sides of the diaphragm 26. Now, when a perforation in the player paper drawn over the trackerbar, to which the pipe 43 is connected, admits air to this pipe the air will enter the chamber 42, more rapidly than it can pass on through the smaller passage 44; and as there is a vacuum within the chest 23, the air pressure in the chamber 42, will move the diaphragm 26 upward, thereby opening the port 22, and closing the vent 21.

In doing so, it connects the pipe 47, first with the chamber 20, then with the port 22, and then with the chest 23, so that the continued action of the exhaust through the port 45, will draw air out of the damperbellows 46, thereby deflating the latter and raising the damper 7 off the snare strings 6. Likewise the raising of the valve 24, by the diaphragm 26, will cause the vacuum pump to exhaust air, through the passage 19, from the chest 18, whereupon the outer air enter- When the pneumatic 11 is thus compressed, the cross bar 34, upon the head of the pneumatic strikes against the lever 38, which carries the valve 40, forcing this to close the port 31, and to open the passage between port 31 and the chest 18. This allows the exhaust to draw airv through the port 31, and the connecting passage 32, from the chamber 30, thereby making the pressure under the diaphragm 29, less than the downward pressure of the outer air through the vent 16, upon the valve 27. Consequently the valve 27, will be depressed by the outer air, and when depressed it will admit air through the vent 16, to the pneumatic 11, thereby distending the pneumatic and moving the vibrator away from the drum head; and at the same time close the port 17. This distending of the pneumatic 11, is assisted and made more rapid by the spring 13. When the pneumatic is thus extended, the

the details shown, since it will be obvious construction and the arrangement of the controlled valve for connecting the interior first mentioned valve 'to its normal position. 120

cross bar 34, will draw the pin 35, outward, thereby closing the inner end of the port 31, and allowing air to enter through the passage 32. Then as soon as suflicient air has entered through the throttling nozzle 33, to supply an upward air pressure in the chamber 30, in excess of the downward pressure upon the valve 27 which has less fiat surface than the diaphragm 29, said diaphragm will be raised again, thereby raising valve 27, and connecting the interior of the pneumatic 11, again with the chest 18, and hence with the exhaust port 45. Consequently the pneumatic 11, will be intermittently filled and emptied as long as the controlling diaphragm 26 is kept raised by the admission of air through the pipe 43, from the tracker bar, and the hammer 9, will be vibrated with each inflation and deflation of the pneum'atic 11. When the admission of air to the pipe 43, is interrupted (as by the unperforated parts of the player-paper) the continuous exhaustion of air through the passa e 44, will soon create a partial vacuum to t e chamber 42, and just as soon as the air pressure therein becomes less than the downward pressure of outside air on the valve 24, said excess downward pressure will return the valve to the position shown in Fig. 3, shut or connection between the exhaust'port 45, and the chest 8, and thereby stop the reciproeating of the Valve 27.

While I have shown and described my invention in its preferred embodiment, I do not wish to be limited to the same, nor to that various changes might be made in the parts without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a musical instrument, a valve chest, a pneumatic connected thereto, a vibrator carried by the said pneumatic, an exhaust pipe from which air is being drawn, a valve alternately connecting the interior of the pneumatic with the outer air and with the interior of the valve chest, a pneumatically 115 of the valve chest with the exhaust pipe, and another valve actuated by the movement of the pneumatic to effect the return of the 2. In a musical instrument, a valve chest, a pneumatic connected thereto, a vibrator carried by the pneumatic, a 'reciprocable valve within the valve chest, the said valve controlling a passage between the interior 126 of the valve chest and the pneumatic, a diaphragm connected to the said valve and positioned above a chamber, a pivoted valve controlled by the movement of the said pneumatic, and comprising a pair of valve disks adapted to Connect the chamber below the diaphragm with the outer air when said pneumatic is inflated and to connect said chamber with the exhaust pipe When the pneumatic is deflated, and a pneumatically controlled valve for disconnecting the valve chest from the outer air and connecting it to a source of suction.

3. In a musical instrument, the combination with a valve chest, of a pneumatic connected thereto, a vibrator carried by the pneumatic, a reciprocable valve Within the valve chest, the said valve controlling a passage between the interior of the valve chest and the pneumatic, a diaphragm connected to the said valve and positioned above a chamber, another valve controlled by the movement of said pneumatic and comprising a pair of valve disks adapted to connect the chamber below the diaphragm with the outer air when said pneumatic is inflated and to connect said chamber with the exhaust pipe when the pneumatic is deflated, another pneumatic, a damper mounted thereon, the last named pneumatic adapted to raise the damper from the instrument, and a pneumatically controlled valve for disconnecting the valve chest from the outer air and connecting it to a source of suction.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this llth day of November A. D. 1912, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER WIGGEN.

Witnesses:

Grass. 0. TILLMAN, A. S. PHILLIPS.

copies of this patent may be obtained for live cent: each, by addressing the commlnioner of Patents,

. Washington, I). 0." 

